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Whisky Appreciation Thread

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On my final night at a local whiskey bar in Japan, the owner gifted me a nice bottle of Yamazaki Single Malt Japanese Whisky as a farewell gift. The 12 year old Yamazaki is quite good. I am wondering how this will compare.

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I won that bottle in a lottery late last year, but ultimately passed on it because I also won EH Taylor Barrel Proof and my buddy won a Bomberger's that he didn't want and I didn't feel like spending over three hundred. I've heard really good things about it, though.
 
I'd be curious to hear what people's opinions are on the Most Overrated Whiskey/Bourbon. I'll go first.

Buffalo Trace... by a mile.
 
I'd be curious to hear what people's opinions are on the Most Overrated Whiskey/Bourbon. I'll go first.

Buffalo Trace... by a mile.
For 23 dollars a bottle I don't expect much. For what it is, I like it.

I throw one down; pappy 10 year. It's impossible to find, goes for 750+ after market and if it didn't have "pappy" on the label I'm not sure you could sell it for $65.
 
I'd be curious to hear what people's opinions are on the Most Overrated Whiskey/Bourbon. I'll go first.

Buffalo Trace... by a mile.

I'm sure I'll get shit for it... but any bottle priced over $100 is overrated in my book. I'm now at the point where I know I have to spend more than $30 if I want to enjoy the flavors neat. But at some point, the variance is negligible and becomes showboating.
 
Want a controversial one? Macallan. Not because it's bad, but I'm just not a big fan of the style. I find it bordering on boring and would rather dip into anything Islay. Want something smooth and relaxing? Well, it doesn't get much better than Lagavulin 16 for me.

There are lots of things that are priced high because of scarcity, and I wouldn't pay for. But it's hard to say it's overrated. A $1000 bottle of Teeling isn't for everyone--it's for that person who wants that one single cask 25 year old Teeling. So for me, yeah, it's laughable to even consider it at that price, but I'm not the hardcore Teeling fan that it's being marketed towards.

@bob2the2nd hit a great one with the Pappy 10. Any lower-level release that deviates too far from the original recipe and is priced high because of the label deserves some scorn from me. Weller SR deviating so far from Weller 107, the Whistlepig 10 being a completely different whisky from the Whistlepig 12... I understand why the distilleries started shipping out these lower-tier labels to meet the crazy demand of the whisky renaissance, but they're still disappointing to me.

Another good one is just generally anything with a crazy long age statement. If you're running a barrel house, what do you do with the barrels that are perfect? You bottle them. What do you do with the barrels that aren't good enough to bottle yet? You save them... keep saving a barrel until "Well, it's been 30 years. Might as well sell this for a stupid markup" and a lot of times you're getting the not great products packaged in the most expensive bottles.
 
For 23 dollars a bottle I don't expect much. For what it is, I like it.

I throw one down; pappy 10 year. It's impossible to find, goes for 750+ after market and if it didn't have "pappy" on the label I'm not sure you could sell it for $65.

It doesn't have Pappy on the label. It's called Old Rip Van Winkle 10.

I think the first one with Pappy on the actual label is the 15.
 
It doesn't have Pappy on the label. It's called Old Rip Van Winkle 10.

I think the first one with Pappy on the actual label is the 15.
You're right.


All of the Pappy's are still overrated to me. *

*=I haven't actually done a side-by-side comparison to truly get an opinion that's closer to objective, I've had a few neat pours of 15 and 20 on separate occasions when they're at a not-unreasonable price at a bar.
 
I'm sure I'll get shit for it... but any bottle priced over $100 is overrated in my book. I'm now at the point where I know I have to spend more than $30 if I want to enjoy the flavors neat. But at some point, the variance is negligible and becomes showboating.
Only whiskey I've ever happily paid 100 for is midwinter nights dram and it's right at 100. That shit is amazing. Other than that I agree.
Want a controversial one? Macallan. Not because it's bad, but I'm just not a big fan of the style. I find it bordering on boring and would rather dip into anything Islay. Want something smooth and relaxing? Well, it doesn't get much better than Lagavulin 16 for me.

There are lots of things that are priced high because of scarcity, and I wouldn't pay for. But it's hard to say it's overrated. A $1000 bottle of Teeling isn't for everyone--it's for that person who wants that one single cask 25 year old Teeling. So for me, yeah, it's laughable to even consider it at that price, but I'm not the hardcore Teeling fan that it's being marketed towards.

@bob2the2nd hit a great one with the Pappy 10. Any lower-level release that deviates too far from the original recipe and is priced high because of the label deserves some scorn from me. Weller SR deviating so far from Weller 107, the Whistlepig 10 being a completely different whisky from the Whistlepig 12... I understand why the distilleries started shipping out these lower-tier labels to meet the crazy demand of the whisky renaissance, but they're still disappointing to me.

Another good one is just generally anything with a crazy long age statement. If you're running a barrel house, what do you do with the barrels that are perfect? You bottle them. What do you do with the barrels that aren't good enough to bottle yet? You save them... keep saving a barrel until "Well, it's been 30 years. Might as well sell this for a stupid markup" and a lot of times you're getting the not great products packaged in the most expensive bottles.
So I've only ever had whistle pig 10 and don't like it. Yet 12 gets great reviews. As someone that likes ryes I've always wondered if either I just don't like whistle pig or there is that much difference between the two.
 
Only whiskey I've ever happily paid 100 for is midwinter nights dram and it's right at 100. That shit is amazing. Other than that I agree.

Hey, if there is a special life milestone you want to celebrate with a splurge, go for it. I'm not without my splurges every so often.

I guess for me, I'd rather not wake up in the morning, look at a half empty bottle, and say, "Damn, the wife and I could have had a real nice night out instead of that half bottle."

Currently enjoying a few sippers at the $50 level - Redbreast and Balvenie - and they are good enough to do the job.
 
You're right.


All of the Pappy's are still overrated to me. *

*=I haven't actually done a side-by-side comparison to truly get an opinion that's closer to objective, I've had a few neat pours of 15 and 20 on separate occasions when they're at a not-unreasonable price at a bar.

Overrated compared to hype? Definitely.

Overrated at retail price? That's a tougher conversation. At MSRP, I find most of Buffalo Trace's lineup to be pretty solid value. The trouble is it's very difficult to find any of their stuff at MSRP any more.

Only whiskey I've ever happily paid 100 for is midwinter nights dram and it's right at 100. That shit is amazing. Other than that I agree.

So I've only ever had whistle pig 10 and don't like it. Yet 12 gets great reviews. As someone that likes ryes I've always wondered if either I just don't like whistle pig or there is that much difference between the two.

Standard Whistlepig 10 is meh for the price. Find store picks. They're the same age (and sometimes older) but bottles at barrel proof and the ones I've had were both really good.

I've had a handful of bottles I'd say were worth the $100 or more I paid on them.

Baker's 13, Bomberger's, Woodford Reserve Very Fine Rare Bourbon, Midwinter Night's Dram, Sam Houston 14, Lagavulin 16, Redbreast 15, Elijah Craig 18, Ledaig 18, Glenmorangie 18, Longrow Red...certainly others I've forgotten.

I've also paid that much and it wasn't worth it. Yellowstone Limited Edition, Ardbeg Drum, Laphroaig Lore, Wild Turkey Cornerstone Rye, Blood Oath Pact 5, a 1.75 bottle of Willett Pot Still that's going on two years old and still over half full. Most of those were good, just not as good as the price tag. Like, Cornerstone Rye was an awesome bottle of whiskey, but it was a $100 bottle masquerading as a $165 one.

I do think I've had more hits than misses in the $100 to $150 range. Haven't gone higher than that much, though.
 
Hey, if there is a special life milestone you want to celebrate with a splurge, go for it. I'm not without my splurges every so often.

I guess for me, I'd rather not wake up in the morning, look at a half empty bottle, and say, "Damn, the wife and I could have had a real nice night out instead of that half bottle."

Currently enjoying a few sippers at the $50 level - Redbreast and Balvenie - and they are good enough to do the job.
Absolutely. And totally agree. At $50 you may not get the best of the best, but that price point has some damn good whiskeys.
 
At the moment Jefferson’s Reserve. Really enjoying it
 
Overrated compared to hype? Definitely.

Overrated at retail price? That's a tougher conversation. At MSRP, I find most of Buffalo Trace's lineup to be pretty solid value. The trouble is it's very difficult to find any of their stuff at MSRP any more.



Standard Whistlepig 10 is meh for the price. Find store picks. They're the same age (and sometimes older) but bottles at barrel proof and the ones I've had were both really good.

I've had a handful of bottles I'd say were worth the $100 or more I paid on them.

Baker's 13, Bomberger's, Woodford Reserve Very Fine Rare Bourbon, Midwinter Night's Dram, Sam Houston 14, Lagavulin 16, Redbreast 15, Elijah Craig 18, Ledaig 18, Glenmorangie 18, Longrow Red...certainly others I've forgotten.

I've also paid that much and it wasn't worth it. Yellowstone Limited Edition, Ardbeg Drum, Laphroaig Lore, Wild Turkey Cornerstone Rye, Blood Oath Pact 5, a 1.75 bottle of Willett Pot Still that's going on two years old and still over half full. Most of those were good, just not as good as the price tag. Like, Cornerstone Rye was an awesome bottle of whiskey, but it was a $100 bottle masquerading as a $165 one.

I do think I've had more hits than misses in the $100 to $150 range. Haven't gone higher than that much, though.
So I just looked up van winkle 10 year and MSRP is 70. I think that's slightly too much, buy you are mostly right on that. I would never pay mark up, but MSRP I would be okay with for a special occasion.

Funny you mention EC18, I won a chance to buy it at MSRP in NH state lottery and picked it up last week. Absolutely a special night sort of drink, but really enjoyed it.
 
At the moment Jefferson’s Reserve. Really enjoying it
I feel like every other time I go shopping for something this stares me in the face and I've never gotten it.

I might have to try it next time
 

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